Performance Measurement and Management Assignment

Performance Measurement and Management - Assignment Example This is also ensures that transparency is achieved because stakeholders are informed on the choices the organization intends to take. In addition, it assists an organization to monitor its progress towards its set objectives and standards of performance (Lichiello and Turnock, 2010). In addition, Myer (2005) highlights that performance management is the coordination of activities, which ensures that organizational goals are effectively achieved. It is also the use of performance measures and standards by an organization to ensure that the desired results are met Lichiello and Turnluck, 2010). In performance management, an organization matches its resources, systems and workforce towards desired objectives. Employees, organizations departments and processes in the organization can be the basis of performance management (Lichiello and Turnock, 2010). Myer (2005) also highlights that the benefits of performance management include; reduced costs by decreasing the time of achieving goals and reducing project overruns, motivation of employees by using incentive plans for goals achieved, improved engagement and transparency, and lastly, improved control of organization activities through proper data relationships. This paper will highlight and describe in detail the va rious performance measures that can be used by Allulite Windows and Joinery in measuring performance, and it will emphasize on the balanced score card approach and why it is favorable for the company than any other methods. In general, the metrics of measuring performance in an organization can be broadly classified into financial and nonfinancial measures. Some of the financial measures include the Return on Investment (ROI), Residual income (RI) and discounted cash flow methods such as the NPV method. On the other hand, the nonfinancial performance measures include

Political Philosophy 3 paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Political Philosophy 3 paper - Essay Example Therefore, this essay will delve on two Greek philosophers, Epictetus and Epicurus, to try to understand their ideologies regarding the importance of living life without having to worry of the occurrence of death. According to ancient philosophy, Epicurus was an ancient philosopher that lived between two hundred and seventy one and three hundred and forty one B.C. He founded his school of philosophy in Athens where he spent most of his life. Epicurus was a philosopher who related the aspect of pleasure with good and the aspect of bad with pain concerning living. This concept became Hedonism, a Greek word meaning pleasure. For Epicurus, being sensuous and exalting life did not quantify for Epicureanism to form opinion on the views of living. However, Epicurus was of the belief that a pleasurable life came from having calm emotions through the appreciation of simple but beautiful pleasantries of life. These pleasures include good company of friends, a healthy diet, morally upright behavior, and good personal health. This meant that people were not to worry about death, but only had to concern themselves with pleasure and pain (Pojman 531). Therefore, Epicurus believed that death was not a feeli ng hence advising people not to be fearful of death. Ideally, this philosopher was a great believer in the doctrines of philosophy because to him philosophy was a constant factor in the life of any individual. Further, Epicurus felt that people needed to focus on the aspects of life that made them happy as part of living a fulfilled life. However, this philosopher had a queer belief in matters related to God and other gods, but acknowledged their existence. In essence, Epicurus believed that these higher deities received much accreditation for what they truly were not. For him, ill fate befell those that lived wicked lives and blessings followed those that did well hence

Causes And Effects Of Food Insecurity Environmental Sciences Essay

Causes And Effects Of Food Insecurity Environmental Sciences Essay State reconstruction is primarily aimed at restoring peace and stability. One of the key factors that threaten peace and stability is food insecurity. This paper focuses on the key challenge of improving food security in protracted crises as well as during post conflict times. The goal of achieving  food security often becomes a daunting challenge, especially when emergencies persist for years or even decades as evidenced in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Sudan and Somalia. The paper begins with a brief overview of what food security entails, structural factors hindering food security as well as the effects of food insecurity. This will be followed by a glimpse into the protracted situation in the DRC as well as suitable frameworks for analyzing and responding to protracted crises. It concludes with recommendations on how to improve food security in protracted crises. The World Food Summit of 1996 defined food security to be existing when all people, at all times, have physical and economic access to enough safe and nutritious food to meet their dietary needs and food preferences for an active and healthy lifestyle. Food security means that: Food is available The amount and quality of food available globally, nationally and locally can be affected temporarily or for long periods by many factors including climate, disasters, war, civil unrest, population size and growth, agricultural practices, environment, social status and trade. Food is affordable When there is a shortage of food prices increase and while richer people will likely still be able to feed themselves, poorer people may have difficulty obtaining sufficient safe and nutritious food without assistance. Food is utilised At the household level, sufficient and varied food needs to be prepared safely so that people can grow and develop normally, meet their energy needs and avoid disease. Food security is considered a complex sustainable development issue, linked to health through malnutrition, but also to sustainable economic development, environment, and trade. There is debate around food security with some arguing that: There is enough food in the world to feed everyone adequately; the problem is distribution. Future food needs can or cannot be met by current levels of production. National food security is essential or no longer necessary because of global trade. Globalization may or may not lead to the persistence of food insecurity and poverty in rural communities. Issues such as whether households get enough food, how it is distributed within the household and whether that food fulfils the nutrition needs of all members of the household show that food security is clearly linked to health. Agriculture remains the largest employment sector in most developing countries and international agriculture agreements are crucial to a countrys food security. Some critics argue that trade liberalization may reduce a countrys food security by reducing agricultural employment levels. 3. Structural Factors Institutional failure, non-existent or weak public and informal institutions are arguably the primary source of protracted crises and food insecurity. This is due to the fact that basic public services such as health, education and protection are inadequately and ineffectively provided if at all. Poor governance of land use and access fuels disputes over land in these crisis situations and impacts negatively on food security in that agricultural production is hampered and investments to increase food production decrease when access to land becomes insecure. Unequal access of land is common in protracted situations of the DRC, Somalia and Sudan and a typical example is when the powerful politico-military rewards their supporters with extra land in an effort to secure their support base. This results in the majority of land being the property of a small number of landowners and the rest of small farmers being marginalized. State reconstruction became hindered when the economy of the DR C collapsed due to the powerful elite exploiting the countrys economic resources. Informal and cultural institutions also play a role in easing the burden of conflicts and can prove to be more effective than weak or collapsed formal institutions. A perfect example in this regard is the local council in the DRC known as chambres de paix that comprised of community elders who investigated and settled land disputes between farmers on the basis of compromise. ¹ This form of justice system became the most trusted mechanism for providing protection to farmers and as a result, farmers no longer trusted the formal corrupt justice system and local courts which traditionally failed to afford them legal protection and justice. However, protracted crises have had a bad effect on informal institutions and thus deprived them of mitigating against the crises. For instance, in Sudan traditional elder authorities were eradicated by military forces. ² 4. Causes and Effects of Food Insecurity Poverty Poor people lack access to sufficient resources to produce or buy quality food. Poor farmers may have very small farms, use less effective farming techniques, and/or be unable to afford fertilisers and labour-saving equipment, all of which limit food production. They often find it difficult to grow enough food for themselves, let alone generate income by selling excess to others. Without economic resources and a political voice, poor farmers may be forced on to less productive land possibly causing further environmental deterioration. Addressing poverty is critical to ensuring that all people have sufficient food. Health Without sufficient calories and nutrients, the body slows down, making it difficult to undertake the work needed to produce food. Without good health, the body is also less able to make use of the food that is available. A hungry mother will give birth to an underweight baby, who then faces a future of stunted growth, frequent illness, learning disabilities and reduced resistance to disease. Contaminated food and water can cause illness, nutrient loss and often death in children. The HIV/AIDS pandemic has reduced food production in many affected countries as productive adults become ill or die. Lacking the labour, resources and know-how to grow staples and commercial crops, many households have shifted to cultivating survival foods or even leaving their fields, further reducing the food supply. Addressing health issues will improve utilisation and availability of food. Water and the environment Food production requires massive amounts of water. Producing sufficient food is directly related to having sufficient water. Irrigation can ensure an adequate and reliable supply of water which increases yields of most crops. Where water is scarce, achieving food security may depend on importing food from countries with an abundance of water. This may be a more efficient use of a scarce resource. Gender equity Women play a vital role in providing food and nutrition for their families through their roles as food producers, processors, traders and income earners. Yet womens lower social and economic status limits their access to education, training, land ownership, decision making and credit and their ability to improve their access to and use of food. Food utilisation can be enhanced by improving womens knowledge of nutrition and food safety and the prevention of illnesses. Increasing womens involvement in decision making and their access to land and credit will in turn improve food security as women invest in fertilisers and better seeds, labour-saving tools, irrigation and land care. Disasters and conflicts Droughts, floods, cyclones and pests can quickly wipe out large quantities of food as it grows or when it is in storage for later use. Seeds can also be destroyed by such environmental dangers. Conflict can also reduce or destroy food in production or storage as farmers flee to safety or become involved in the fighting. Previously productive land may be contaminated with explosive debris and need to be cleared before it can again be used for food production. Stored food, seeds and breeding livestock may be eaten or destroyed by soldiers, leading to long-term food shortages. Government spending needs to prioritise food security after conflicts. Population and urbanisation Population growth increases the demand for food. With most productive land already in use, there is pressure for this land to become more productive. Poor harvests and higher costs lead many poor farmers to migrate to cities to look for work. Expanding cities spread out across productive land, pushing food production further and further away from consumers. This increases the cost of all the activities associated with producing and transporting food, and decreases the food security of the poor in cities. Trade Many poor countries can produce staples more cheaply than rich nations but barriers to trade, such as distance from markets, regulations and tariffs make it difficult for them to compete in export markets against highly subsidised farmers in rich countries. This deprives poor farmers of income and entire countries of the agricultural base they need to develop other sectors of the economy. Trade imbalances prevent poor countries from importing agricultural products that could enhance their food security. The negative effects of food insecurity include impaired physical and cognitive abilities of children. Generally, food insecurity and hunger amounts to poor health status, making children sick more often, with higher rates of iron deficiency anemia, and also results in children being frequently hospitalized. In Somalia, for example, 20 percent of children die before the age of five. The nutritional status of women is also a major concern. They are mainly farmers and are usually carers of their families. It has been reported that two-thirds of women in the Horn of Africa suffer from anaemia, which is partly attributed to the high levels of maternal mortality. 5. Protracted Crises The term is defined as conflict situations characterized by the prolonged and often violent struggle by communal groups for such basic needs as security, recognition, acceptance, fair access to political institutions, and economic participation. ³ 5.1 DRC Democratic Republic of Congo is listed as one of the worst humanitarian crises. Its five-year war ended in 2003. The country is rich with gold, diamonds and minerals, yet millions of its people suffer from a lethal combination of disease and hunger caused by ongoing conflict and displacement. 5.4 million people were declared dead since 1998 from war-related violence, hunger and disease. The devastating effects of pre-war land policies on the rural people of DRC have intensified since the war. Land is at center stage of conflict, especially in the regions such as Ituri and Masisi. It has also become an important resource to warring factions because through their control over land, they have reinforced their political position to the disadvantage of small farmers. A study undertaken by FAO concluded that food insecurity in the DRC can be tackled through interventions that focus on land access and that possible interventions include the strengthening of the legal position of rural populations and the strengthening of the role of community representatives in land issues. The study also focused on the structural impact of the protracted crisis on local food systems and the effects and limits of food security interventions. 6. Frameworks for Analysis and Response In protracted crises, food security interventions tend to be based on a standardized set of responses that do not consider the dynamic nature of protracted crises. Such interventions usually focus on food production and neglect other dimensions of food security. Responses to these situations are of a humanitarian/emergency nature. They contribute to saving lives and to protecting livelihoods but are inadequate for addressing the complex root causes of these crises. Stated differently, traditional humanitarian and development approaches are often not suitable for guiding analysis and response. Organizations that intervene in these situations tend to concentrate on one side of the humanitarian/development divide and plan their response accordingly. The studies show that assistance is often externally driven and very few donors commit to longer term development once the acute phase of a crisis passes and thus disregard the root causes of the crisis unresolved. In the DRC and Sudan, analytical tools that were employed wrongly suggested that food insecurity in those countries were livelihoods crises at the household level caused by external factors. As a result, contextual analysis was not undertaken. Alinovi et al therefore suggest that a new operational framework for food security in protracted crises should: †¢ have an overarching livelihoods-based framework to represent various processes at the global level and the effects of those processes at the household level; †¢ highlight appropriate food security responses policies and programmes; †¢ identify institutions that play a positive (or negative) role in strengthening the resilience of food systems; and †¢ identify institutions that are necessary for implementing food security response. Conclusion It is necessary to address both the short and long term dimensions of protracted crises in order to have an impact on increasing food security and thus prevent and/or mitigate the adverse effects of food insecurity, especially in protracted crises. The current aid architecture also needs to be reformed so that it is flexible enough to link short and longer term response. Response must be based on adequate analysis, including institutional analysis of these complex situations. Acting without adequate analysis may reduce the effectiveness of response and, in the worst cases, make the situation even worse. The eradication of hunger and food insecurity must be considered a long-term development goal. Food insecurity cannot be addressed in isolation. Progress needs to be made also with relation to goals set in other pressing areas, including poverty alleviation; education and literacy; reductions in infant, child and maternal mortality; improved reproductive health; and environmental protection. The countries in protracted crises should establish their own regional and national targets as well as associated indicators. These goals should be achieved within the framework of human rights. This rights-based approach acknowledges the responsibility of national governments and their international partners in fulfilling peoples fundamental rights, including freedom from hunger. Community participation should also be encouraged to ensure that beneficiaries participate in all decisions affecting their lives. Women should also have an equal voice in decision-making.

Nationalism from a Marxian Perspective :: Politics

Nationalism from a Marxian Perspective The mobilization of the masses to both support and participate in a wide variety of cultural and political endeavors is often achieved through nationalism. It can be used to get a society to push for a return to traditional ways and old-time religion, to press on for national liberation and self-determination, to support or fight vast acts of imperialism and genocide, as an excuse to severely obstruct rights and liberties for citizens, and ultimately be used as a great tool in a quest for all out war and full throttled vengeance in any case in which a country is attacked. For decades, the Nationalist tendency of America has not been as clear or strong as it has been during the current aftermath of the attacks in New York City. The response across America has been widespread and clear: people, by and large, and in full support of the state and whatever path it wishes to choose, with a majority of the population even supporting secret military trials and a strict curtailing of civil liberties in America. Nationalism is running rampant in America, much of which goes far beyond mere patriotism and concern for the state of one’s nation and rather into astonishingly high levels of First World chauvinism. But what does this mean on a larger level? How is nationalism used on a larger scale? Is it most always used to have the mass blindly follow the interest of elites? Or is nationalism more complex? To answer these questions, in this paper I will address nationalism on multiple levels and from a Marxian perspective. Nationalism will be dealt with at a structural level, with an examination of how it utilized in both the First World and the Third World. Many basic descriptions of what nationalism is exist, and defining precisely what nationalism means is not an easy task. This is in large part because the causes and effects of nationalism greatly varies from social context to social context, as the concrete social reality determines the specific shape and character that the nationalism idea takes when it comes to hold a large part of the consciousness of a society (I say the ‘nationalism idea’ for I feel that nationalism is, primarily, in the realm of the ideological). Put more succinctly â€Å"Nationalism can be, and has been, democratic and authoritarian, forward-looking or backward-looking, socialist or reactionary† (Kamenka 1976: 3).

Automating computer usual processes Essay

Nowadays, almost all kinds of establishments are relying on computers for automating their usual processes. Most of the manual systems in offices are replaced by the automated systems which use computer technology. Moreover, computers have also diminished the total manual works and the effectiveness of employees has also increased because of the dependence of establishments on computer technology. It helps also to perform the routine business tasks much quicker compared to the manual way of doing things. Computer nowadays is no longer considered a luxury but rather a necessity with the emergence of information technology 1 â€Å"We are in the so-called information age, and every transaction at every phase of the establishments depends on modern computing.† As observed, there are already many manual systems that are being replaced by the computerized ones. Some of these are the payroll, sales and monitoring, point of sale, enrollment, grading, library, and other related systems .. Integration with the people in the society is in demand for progress. The relation field of Information Technology concerns the use of computer-based information system to convert, process, protect, share, store, transmits and retrieve information. Technologies have brought us more advances on personal computer, to build new industries and change the lifestyle of each individual. These advances became more powerful and more productive for simultaneous growth in society and industries. Using Internet is one of the medium of today’s communication, people easily connect in the current events in their community and even outside their places and acquire necessary information in just a short period of time. 2As the saying goes, â€Å"Nothing is permanent than change† so as with Information Technology. This field will continue to prosper and continue to help change lives by improving it. Although most people, especially in the Philippines still prefer the old ways or manual transactions, the future Filipino generations will eventually embrace ch ange and not only that, but also be the one to provide change through the future students and graduates that will courageously take this field. Every bit of information is now considered as a powerful tool hence it should be used and managed with the utmost caution. This mere reason prompts many establishments to produce their own system  that will protect information. The Bicol Consortium for Health Research and Development (BCHRD) was established to address the existing health condition in the Bicol region. It is a coordinating system involving various institutions in the region with interest in health research. The BCHRD was created upon the partnership with Philippine National Health Research System (PNHRS), Regional Development Council (RDC) with the member institutions of : Department of Health (DOH) ,Bicol Regional and Training And Teaching Hospital(BRTTH), Commision on Higher Education (CHED) , Bicol University (BU), Catanduanes State University (CSU), University of Saint Anthony, Ago Medical and Educational Center (AMEC), Atedeo de Naga, University of Nueva Caseres, Camarines Sur Polytechnic Colleges, Aquinas Univ ersity of Legazpi (AUl), Department of Science and Technology (DOST), Bicol Medical Center, Partido State University (PSU) . Universidad de Santa Isabel. The existing health condition in the region necessities the establishment of a strong health research and development (R&D) coordinating system involving various institution in the region with interest in health research. Putting them together to work on consortium arrangement will promote complementation, thereby increase the synergy despite limited resources for R&D undertakings. The Bicol Consortium for Health Research and Development (BCHRD) was therefore established to address the afore mentioned concerns. The primarily goal and objective of BCHRD is to institute/strengthen the system collaboration in Bicol to develop and enhance the capacity of research institution within the region which have interest and engage in health related researches, as a strategy to improve the health condition of Bicolanos Specifically the consortium aims to : (a) Undertake and/or spearhead health related Research and Development (R&D) activities; (b) Establish a collaborative system for effective sh aring and utilization of physical, financial and manpower resources among member-institution as well encourage the active involvement of non-members that will fave the way for expanding the membership of consortium; (c) Promote an effective collaboration and harmonious working relationship between among member-institutions in the conduct of researches in health, nutrition related fields; (d) Encourage, generate and provide funds for health –related researches in accordance with the health and nutrition priority  areas/sectors indicated in the plans of the Regional Development Council (RDC) and the Philippine National Health Research System (PNHRS); (e) Develop the capability in manpower, facilities and other infrastructure for health and nutrition and other related researches; (f) Effectively promote the proper utilization of health research findings; (g) Serve as clearing house for all health related researches; (h) Establish linkages/network within and outside the region ; and (i) Institute a mechanism and implement strategies for a sustained visibility of the consortium and ensure a long-term viability of the consortium. Monitoring system is not just used in the field of industry; it has also a very significant role in improving the quality of education in the country (Philippines). Once this technological approach is implemented a full assurance that the aimed quality of educational system will be able to reach its peak of being more organized and well improved system In terms of paper works, these two types of management system can easily manage the projects through having an Proposal monitoring system. Archiving system refers to the process of moving data through an automated storage device that helps the people to access the data easily. Before, an archival record was identified with manuscripts or with written records. Years passed by, archival record refers to recorded information, specifically in paper-based transforming it to automated form method. Implementing an archiving system of records can do task of organizing, monitoring and easy generation of reports. On the other hand, all the Research proposal that are pending, denied or approve must be monitored in order to ease the different operations and functions of organizations. In this study, monitoring system for the research proposal of the institution is the most needed to work to. This system updates the current status of the research project. In addition, monitoring system has a significant role in improving the quality of the implemented projects to be able to reach its goal. Because of its function, they are having problems in a certain field. They seem to have problems in the management of projects from time to time. In addition, the increasing burden of creating and maintaining the archive of projects. Their file storage is full of projects making it a burden when finding a needed project. This study aimed to create a system for the Bicol Consortium for  Health Research and Development. It covered the storing and updating of projects that are processed in the department and al so uploading projects in the system that can be retrieved easily. Statement of objective General Objectives This study aims to develop a research proposal and monitoring management system for the Bicol Consortium for Health Research and Development. Specific Objectives 1.) To create a system that will facilitate research proposal and monitor status for approval. 2.) To develop a monitoring system for all ongoing researches. 3.) To record all pending, approved and rejected proposals, and ongoing and completed research of the health proponent/researcher. 4.) To create a secure system for monitoring of research proposals and projects. 5.) To generate reports on the status of research projects and proposals. Scope of the System Check the requirements for filing a proposal Keep track of the status of the proposal Keep track of the research’s accomplishments and budgets Monitor progress of ongoing research Scope and Delimitation This study is about Bicol Consortium for Health Research and Development. This will cover the checking of requirements the tracking and monitoring of the proposal. It has the overall planning, coordination, and control of a project from beginning to completion. The system records the detailed planning, proposed, on-going and finished projects in the department. Old  files were also scanned and be saved as pdf. The secretary, regional administrator, institution head and all the member of the health research were given privileged to view the system. The employees may ask the administrator of each section if they need files that were in the system. The head administrator provides admin accounts for each section head. The proposal monitoring management system has different sections for the storage of projects (proposed, on-going and finished projects) and it provided easy access to the projects’ status and tracks the finished projects that are archived. Old and new files are archived in this system. The date could only be searched, retrieved and printed. The archive could be searched by date, name etc. As for the proposal monitoring management system, it provided an automated monitoring and checking the status of ongoing research development. It has additional features, like the user is notified for the reminders of the agency; and the system is secured by providing administrator restrictions. On the other hand, the proposed system would not include other health researcher that are not member of the institutions that are part of BCHRD. The study only focused on the automation of storage of all projects that would be made and were done, monitoring its status among various sections of PDMO and provide an automated maintenance plan in monitoring, checking and repairing of items. Significance of the Study The result of the study will benefit the following: Bicol University. College of Science One of the four-fold functions of a university or any academic institution is research. This study will be another contribution to the research achievements of the university. BCHRD (Bicol Consortium for Health Research and Development).This lessened the manual labor of the agency through the use of the system which operates the research projects and monitoring plans for BCHRD. Employee. The system helped the employee to do their job efficiently, properly and effectively. Students This study will serve as an educational  and reference material for their future studies and undertakings. This may also give an idea on making their own versions of the existing software, thus presenting their own modifications. Researchers. This study which is connected to the Research Proposal Monitoring and Management System will improved the researchers’ knowledge in programming skills and their sense of responsibility. Future Researchers. Students who will undertake future research projects can use this study as reference material. This will provide the future researches sufficient information with regards to system development. Definition of Terms For better understanding of the study, the following terms were defined operationally or concepltually: Research Proposal an study that request time and fund from instition Monitoring Management System the process of checking the updates and status of ongoing health research Proponent in this study the proponent is the person who is requsting or conducting health researh Storage. , this term refers to the method of storing finished and proposed projects for future use. Secure System in this study this term refers to a system that cannot be easily tamper the information that is stored. EDIT OR E-REVISE NIO Notes 1 The Grolier Encyclopedia of Knowledge, USA: Grolier Incorporated, 1995 (accessed on May 19, 2014 9:05am) 2http://my.safaribooksonline.com/book/information-technology-and-software-development/9788131760291/information-technology-basics/ch008006 (Accessed on: May 20, 2014 2:18PM) â€Å"What is Information Technology?†.

Journey to Manhood… An Analysis of “Do You Fear the Wind”

After reading â€Å"Do You Fear the Wind†, I immediately thought of a father talking to his son about becoming a man. This particular talk appears to focus on being strong, facing one's fears, and fighting one's own battles. The persona appears to be trying to educate someone on masculinity. There is an underlying theme of strength that is prominent throughout the poem. The poet, through language, imagery, and use of poetic metre, contributes to this theme by having the persona command the addressee to embrace his masculinity and â€Å"walk like a man†. Throughout the poem, the persona uses strong language when he is speaking. It is almost as if he wants to frighten his addressee. The comfortable atmosphere that is expected when one is at home talking to one's parents is not evident here. There are no soft gentle tones, or kind words of encouragement. Instead, there is this gruesome display of harsh, brutal language, and eccentric commands. It is almost frightening how the addressee is expected to obtain such warrior-like qualities in his quest for manhood. He is supposed to â€Å"slash†, â€Å"fight†, use â€Å"force†, and â€Å"be savage†. The poet, in his choice of words, inadvertently reveals his belief in the qualities that a ‘real man' should possess. The persona continues his harshness in the command, â€Å"Go wade like the crane.† It is difficult to imagine why someone would tell another person, under any circumstances, to â€Å"go wade like the crane†, but it is possible that the poet is alluding to the aggressive nature of the crane. The crane is a very intrepid bird with elaborate courting displays. Cranes are also known for their pride, as they fly with their necks outstretched rather than pulled back. The poet also uses vivid imagery throughout the poem to contribute to its theme. He creates a stormy atmosphere with the â€Å"force of the wind† and the â€Å"slash of the rain†. He, then, equates going â€Å"hungry and cold† with masculinity. The persona apparently associates being masculine with being a savage beast. Incidentally, he instructs the addressee to become animalistic and obtain certain qualities of a â€Å"wolf†. In order to be clearly understood, the persona informs the addressee that becoming a man will be no easy task. He will encounter obstacles along the way. There will be times when his â€Å"palms will thicken† and â€Å"the skin of his cheek will tan†. It is easy to picture a bloody, dirty, exhausted man returning from war in the line, â€Å"You'll grow ragged and weary and swarthy.† He may get battered and bruised, but he must persevere because the juice of this prize is worth the squeeze he must execute. The poet also contributes to the theme through his use of poetic metre. Unlike the flowery, feminine traits of iambic pentametre, common in sonnets, the poem consists of only dimetre (lines containing two feet) and trimetre (lines containing three feet). All of the lines in the poem are short and abrupt. The metre helps to create the sense of rigidity that is implied in the tone of the poem. Lines three and seven of the poem contain amphibrach foot. Amphibrach is a Greek word meaning short on either side. The poet suggests, through metric foot, that the addressee should not be cowardly, but fight back. All of the lines in the poem, with the exception of line three, contain anapestic foot. Anapest is a Greek word meaning struck back. The persona in the poem teaches a valuable lesson about embracing one's fears and subsequently overcoming them. Nothing is promised in life, and anything that is worth having is worth the struggle necessary to obtain it. It is important to understand that the challenge does not lie in never being in fear, but in learning that fear can be conquered. It will not always be easy and it may sometimes seem impossible. However challenging and tiring it may seem, one must persevere. The gratification one gets is summed up best in the lines, You'll grow ragged and weary and swarthy, But you'll walk like a man.

The Wind in the Willows Questions for Discussions

'The Wind in the Willows' Questions for Discussions The Wind in the Willows is a famous book about animals, by Kenneth Grahame. Here are a few questions for study and discussion. What is significant about the title?What are the conflicts in The Wind in the Willows? What types of conflict (physical, moral, intellectual, or emotional) do you see?How does Kenneth Grahame reveal character in The Wind in the Willows?What are some themes in the story? How do they relate to the plot and characters?What are some symbols in The Wind in the Willows? How do they relate to the plot and characters?Is Badger (Mr. Badger) consistent in his actions? Is he a fully developed character? How? Why?Does Badger change and/or develop as a character?How does Badger relate to other characters in the book?Do you find the characters likable? Are the characters creatures you would want to meet?Does the story end the way you expected? How? Why?What is the central/primary purpose of the story? Is the purpose important or meaningful?How does the past figure into the novel?How essential is the setting to the story? Could the story have taken place anywhere else?Would you recommend this book to a friend?​

Essay on Whistle-blowing the EnvironmentEssay Writing Service

Essay on Whistle-blowing the EnvironmentEssay Writing Service Essay on Whistle-blowing the Environment Essay on Whistle-blowing the EnvironmentOften times companies will do things that they are not supposed to knowing that they can get away with it. One problem with this is that if someone finds out and does something about it, it can be extremely detrimental for the company. This was the case with Avco Environmental Services who have a contract with a local hospital. Avco is a company that deals with toxic-waste disposal and it was discovered by one of their employees (named Chantale Leroux) that they were disposing of some of this medical waste in a local municipal landfill. This is not only an illegal action, but it could be very harmful to the health of the workers and the public in general.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Chantale Leroux is faced with a very loaded decision. She could either say something about it and risk falling out of favor in the company or allow this activity to continue in hopes of maintaining good standing in the company. Chantale takes the fo llowing course of action. Initially she goes to her immediate superior and is told to drop it because it is neither the concern of her or her superior. Not being satisfied with this, Chantale takes her issue to a higher ranking employee the very next day. When Chantale brings up the issue, her superior is clearly irritated and tells Chantale things like â€Å"this isn’t your concern†, â€Å"everyone knows that the regulations in this area are overly cautious†, and that there is no real danger and that the matter should be considered closed.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   After Chantale had taken the previously mentioned, she was unsure of what to do. Her supervisors had both been extremely clear that they thought she should just drop her concerns, but she was hesitant to drop it. One the one hand, she knew that it was a completely illegal act and that it could be potentially harmful to the unsuspecting public. On the other hand though, if she were t o take this fact public, she fears that she could jeopardize her job. She is especially fearful of this because she is new and has a promising future with the company. Chantale thinks that the management of the company is honest and trustworthy and generally has faith in them. She is, however, unsure of what to do. She looks up the phone number of an old friend who worked for the local newspaper in case she wants to tell the story, but has still yet to decide.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Corporations have moral obligations in a multitude of ways including obligations to people and obligations to the environment. Corporations are not to harm the people or environment around them especially if it is not of a significant cost. In this sense, cost can mean many things including the obvious money, but also includes things like lives, the well-being of people, and surrounding areas. What is being questioned is whether Chantale has a moral obligation to do as much as she ca n to prevent her company from harming others even if it may cost her job.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Whistle-blowing is essentially just a name used to describe the act of somebody making information public that was secret and intended to be kept secret. There are multiple kinds of whistle-blowing, but for this specific case, we will focus on what is called internal whistle-blowing. â€Å"[T]he term refers to disclosures made by employees to executives in a firm, perhaps concerning improper conduct of fellow employees or superiors who are cheating on expense accounts, or are engaging in petty or grand theft.† (DeGeorge 300) It is referred to as internal whistle-blowing because it is done by somebody inside of the company which is the exact situation that Chantale finds herself in. â€Å"Generally (when one whistle-blows), one believes an investigation will follow and a sanction will be imposed.† (DeGeorge 300) This would be the case for Chantale as wel l because she would only whistle-blow in order to potentially reduce harm to her surroundings.Whistle-blowing can be viewed three different ways: prohibited, permitted, and mandatory.Prohibited – This is the most widely held view of the three. DeGeorge states that â€Å"[t]here is a strong tradition within American mores against †ratting† or telling on others.† (303) Due to this common viewpoint, it is typical for a whistle-blower to be seen as someone who went against the firm and therefore the people in the firm.Permitted – Permitted whistle-blowing â€Å"involves an employee somehow going public, revealing information or concerns about his or her firm in the hope that the firm will change the product, action, policy, or whatever it is that the whistle-blower feels will harm, or has harmed, and needs to be rectified.† (DeGeorge 306) Whistle-blowing is typically not seen as something done with the permission or consent of the company and will often do the company harm. For this reason, for whistle-blowing to be permitted, good must come of it and enough to where it outweighs the bad.Mandatory – This is the case when a person has a moral obligation to whistle-blow because of certain conditions including, but not limited to, the concern for the health of others and the concern for the environment.As long as there are activities going on, goods being made, or really anything else where companies are acting immorally, there will be some sort of whistle=blowing that not only will happen, but really in some cases, should happen. â€Å"The need for moral heroes shows a defective society and defective corporations. It is more important to change the legal and corporate structures that make whistle-blowing necessary than to convince people to be moral heroes.† (DeGeorge 316) When speaking about whistle-blowing one must understand that it can on the one hand lead to troubling times for a company, but on the other, i t can make companies work toward a higher standard. DeGeorge states, â€Å"[w]histle-blowing should also alert corporations to what can and should be done if they wish to be both moral and excellent.† (317) Overall, whistle-blowing should be see looked at in a case-by-case basis because it can be both wrong and right.Chantale finds herself in a situation that is far from enviable, but she is trying to decide whether or not to blow the whistle on her company. There are positives and negatives to both sides, but armed with the previous information, she should be able to make a decision. What should Chantale do?

An analysis of the relationship between the hospitality culture and employees in China

According to Adelman et al. Before service management research by Bitner (1990); Kim (1985); King and Garey (1997), the influence of culture on employee services was not taken into consideration. Tsang (2011) pointed out that hotel culture has focused on research in China in recent years. Hotel culture is important for the hospitality industry as well as for employees. In addition, hotel culture has four elements: material culture, behavioral culture, spiritual culture, and normal culture. In this article, we will look at Intercultural challenges in China for doing business (Appendix 1) as an example for analyzing culture. At the same time, China and the United States will also evaluate cultural comparison. Thereafter, recommendations are made based on the case, and several important recommendations concerning the global business are offered. On the other hand, globalization will help create opportunities for global cooperation. On the other hand, it created problems due to many prob lems and cultural differences, which ultimately resulted in failure. Therefore, organizations need to pay attention to this problem. Generally, there is a big gap in cultural issues between Western European countries and China. As China participates in the WTO and holds the Olympic Games in 2008, the relationship between China and the West in politics, economics and culture will become closer and closer. There is no doubt that etiquette plays an important role in this process. In China and the West there are different understandings of the definition of etiquette. The Chinese believe that etiquette is a common standard of action that all members must comply, so the purpose is to maintain ordinary social life order. In ancient China, famous philosophers believed that etiquette is the principle of dealing with relationships between humans and supernatural creatures, human beings, ghosts, and humans. There are also a lot of English etiquette, so we need to understand the difference bet ween Chinese and Western culture.

Peopel Mangment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Peopel Mangment - Essay Example This paper approves that it is clear from the above discussion that diversity has a number of dimensions and has a major impact on the overall position of women in the workplace. Promoting gender equality is a growing trend and the various equality and diversity policies adopted by companies clearly impact women and assist them in gaining better positions and also job profiles which fit their skills set. Here the principle of human rights is to provide basic equal treatment to individuals from different groups. The main aim of all human resources across different companies is to ensure that the inequalities within the groups are reduced and women as well as men are given the same treatment, without any form of bias or distinction. This essay makes a conclusion that one of the main areas of focus across the world has been on the need for reducing discrimination against women. Hence it can be concluded that the various equality and diversity policies that have been developed over the years clearly have a strong impact on women and in most cases this is a positive influence. Nevertheless a few companies, despite all the laws and regulations, have not been able to effectively ensure that women are given their rights and that job selection, recruitment and retention are based on the skills set and not gender. Even so, the overall impact of the equality and diversity policies is clearly been extremely effective and has proven to be very successful across the world.

Business Assignmet Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4000 words - 1

Business Assignmet - Assignment Example There are 60 retail shops which the company uses to sell its shops and other accessories which it offers to its customers, these accessories include leather handbags, umbrellas, key fobs and other leather goods. Besides this, Cuero Ltd operates a distribution centre (Balcombe) not only helps them to distribute their own products but it also helps in distributing other associated products of its competitors, this gives Cuero Ltd a strong and dedicated distribution channel. Along with this distribution centre, the company runs a mail order business that helps in the promotion and marketing of the shoes and accessories produced and sold by the company. The performance of Cuero Ltd is to be appraised and evaluated on the basis of the 4 major organisational performance areas of analysis. These four major areas include; HR Performance issues; Financial Performance issues; Marketing and Supply Management issues. All of these areas of analysis are evaluated in separate individual reports to ascertain whether there are any issues/problems in that functioning area and how can that issue be resolved. This report analyses the performance of the people employed by Cuero Ltd. Besides the people directly by the company, other personnel whose activities may affect the business of Cuero Ltd is also considered. The Human Resource performance is appraised using the Critical incident method where the performance of the staff is appraised after assessing the positive and negative areas of their work. After the performance is analyzed, suitable recommendation as to the improvement of this function are also stated. Human resource is defined as "The people that staff and operate an organization"; as contrasted with the financial and material resources of an organization. Human Resources is also the organizational function that deals with the people and issues related to people such as compensation,

Corporate Social Responsibility - there is one and only one, Essay

Corporate Social Responsibility - there is one and only one, responsibility of business - to use its resources and engage in activities designed to increase it - Essay Example (Rust, Moorman, and Dickson, 2002) In order to gain benefits from CSR initiatives, Handelman and Arnold (1999) argued that companies should be engaged in CSR for good causes and at the same time offer high quality products to its consumers. The main intension of the company’s effort in investing on the CSR initiatives is an important factor that could affect its success. According to Sen and Bhattacharya (2001), CSR initiatives could backfire and result to a lower purchase value and a negative perception.1 The proper implementation of CSR initiative is better than the use of high cost advertisements since it could not only increase a company’s profitability but also establish a direct and more effective relationship with its customers. Based on the observation of Drumwright (1996), the use of advertisements together with a social dimension is gradually increasing. In line with the increasing importance of CSR, several marketing studies shows that social responsibility programmes have a significant direct and indirect positive effect on several customer-related outcomes. (Bhattacharya et al., 2004; Brown, 1998) A good relationship between the company and customers enables the customers to develop a positive attitude on the company’s products. (Berens, Van Riel, and Van Bruggen, 2005) Since most of the companies who are knowledgeable on how to take advantage of the CSR initiatives have proven that social participation could result to a better relationship with the satisfied customers, investment on CSR is considered as â€Å"the smart thing to do.† (Smith, 2003; p. 52) Satisfied customers tend to be loyal to the company despite the tight competition within the same industry. (Bolton and Drew, 1991) The positive experience(s) of customers toward a company will be passed on to other prospective customers via

The Human Rights in the Media in Syria Research Paper

The Human Rights in the Media in Syria - Research Paper Example Ajami further added that as for Yemen, the revolution was also an outcry against the attempts by the Saleh’s government to amend the country’s constitution (86). As for the Syrian revolt, it was partly contributed by the ethnic hatred between the minority and majority, whereby the ruling minority ethnic community lead by the Assad regime is accused of apply nepotisms in the distribution of national resources. Additionally, the Syrian crisis was propelled by the food crisis that has greatly affected the country, and of which the current Assad regime and the previous regime that was lead by his father are both accused of failing to make the nation food secure (Ajami, 23-31). Lesch lamented that it is only Syria, which is still experiencing intensified civil war since the advent of the Arab revolution while most of the Arab nations such as Yemen, Libya, Egypt, and Tunisia have at least returned to normalcy or the intensity of the crisis has reduced. This is because the cou ntries have recorded reforms in the governance of the nation and a change in the countries' top leadership that has been enabled by the elections conducted after the revolution (45-48). Lesch further lamented that the Syrian crisis is still intensified because President Assad is adamant on his position and has continued to defy the opposition. Moreover, the use of inhumane approach by President Assad loyal forces to quell the violence has continued to anger the opposition and even intensified the civil war within the country. Among the most inhumane approach that the Assad regime has used to fight back the opposition is the use of military tankers on both armed and unarmed protestors (102-113). Worse is the fact that off late the law enforcement officers have been threatening... This essay approves that current reports by the international media such as Cables News Network, British Broadcasting Corporation, and Al Jaezera all indicate that since the beginning of the Syrian crisis there has been thousands of death and injuries on both the pro-government supporters and opposition supporters in Syria. Secondly, the civil war in Syria has lead to the displacement of more than four million Syrians. Moreover, media reports indicate that many Syrians have fled to other neighbouring countries because of the civil unrest currently going on in their country and they are living in refugee camps where the standard of living is quite low. With reference to the United Nation’s Universal Declaration of Human Rights, it is correct to assert that the crisis in Syria and in particular the Assad regime is responsible for committing human rights violation on men, women, and children. This report makes a conclusion that the UN is trying to support the Syrian population using the media by ensuring that their stories is widely covered in the international press and by encouraging the Syrian population to tell out their story to the rest of the world. The United Nations have also taken upon themselves to inform the rest of the world about the situation in Syria and to urge the rest of the World to publicly condemned the violence and human rights abuses that are taking place in Syria. Secondly, the UN while using the media has urged the rest of the world to join hands and call for peace in Syria. Thirdly, the UN while using the media to support the Syrian population has also asked the rest of the world to support the Syrian population during this difficult time through moral support and even material support.

Literature review (plz read the instruction) Essay

Literature review (plz read the instruction) - Essay Example The literature review of this study would mainly focus on the strategic planning practice on a micro activities level and it requires the organization to put in place a number of initiatives such as design, planning and implementation strategies. Critics points out that the strategic environment demands attention to be paid to such variables as internal quality management, Human Resource Management (HRM), internal value chain analysis, supply chain management, product portfolio development, product & marketing mix, market segmentation, event life cycle management, strategic product/customer/market orientation, a sound communication strategy and above all a competitor orientation strategy. Butler (2001) pointed that a perceptual mapping process to achieve strategic and organizational goals is nothing new in the micro level firm’s own operational environment. Thus the current dichotomy between strategic competitive environment and strategic operational environment is based on the organizational outcomes. The micro level activities of the firm are subject to a greater amount of competitive pressure than those firms which exclusively produce in order to sell in the domestic market or export physically. Thus the competitor orientation strategy of the micro level firm is determined by the level of internal and external competition. How best to meet this competitive pressure depends on the micro level firm’s ability to absorb excess demand through capacity and value creation. Internal value chain management process of the firm decisively places some limitations on its ability to meet this extra demand. Therefore it’s the pricing policy, HRM and internal management culture that ultimately enable the firm to meet this demand successfully. If the attendant VRIO (value, rarity, inimitability and organization) framework is sound enough to enable the management of the company to withstand pressure and devise

Corporate Social Responsibility - there is one and only one, Essay

Corporate Social Responsibility - there is one and only one, responsibility of business - to use its resources and engage in activities designed to increase it - Essay Example (Rust, Moorman, and Dickson, 2002) In order to gain benefits from CSR initiatives, Handelman and Arnold (1999) argued that companies should be engaged in CSR for good causes and at the same time offer high quality products to its consumers. The main intension of the company’s effort in investing on the CSR initiatives is an important factor that could affect its success. According to Sen and Bhattacharya (2001), CSR initiatives could backfire and result to a lower purchase value and a negative perception.1 The proper implementation of CSR initiative is better than the use of high cost advertisements since it could not only increase a company’s profitability but also establish a direct and more effective relationship with its customers. Based on the observation of Drumwright (1996), the use of advertisements together with a social dimension is gradually increasing. In line with the increasing importance of CSR, several marketing studies shows that social responsibility programmes have a significant direct and indirect positive effect on several customer-related outcomes. (Bhattacharya et al., 2004; Brown, 1998) A good relationship between the company and customers enables the customers to develop a positive attitude on the company’s products. (Berens, Van Riel, and Van Bruggen, 2005) Since most of the companies who are knowledgeable on how to take advantage of the CSR initiatives have proven that social participation could result to a better relationship with the satisfied customers, investment on CSR is considered as â€Å"the smart thing to do.† (Smith, 2003; p. 52) Satisfied customers tend to be loyal to the company despite the tight competition within the same industry. (Bolton and Drew, 1991) The positive experience(s) of customers toward a company will be passed on to other prospective customers via

Literature review (plz read the instruction) Essay

Literature review (plz read the instruction) - Essay Example The literature review of this study would mainly focus on the strategic planning practice on a micro activities level and it requires the organization to put in place a number of initiatives such as design, planning and implementation strategies. Critics points out that the strategic environment demands attention to be paid to such variables as internal quality management, Human Resource Management (HRM), internal value chain analysis, supply chain management, product portfolio development, product & marketing mix, market segmentation, event life cycle management, strategic product/customer/market orientation, a sound communication strategy and above all a competitor orientation strategy. Butler (2001) pointed that a perceptual mapping process to achieve strategic and organizational goals is nothing new in the micro level firm’s own operational environment. Thus the current dichotomy between strategic competitive environment and strategic operational environment is based on the organizational outcomes. The micro level activities of the firm are subject to a greater amount of competitive pressure than those firms which exclusively produce in order to sell in the domestic market or export physically. Thus the competitor orientation strategy of the micro level firm is determined by the level of internal and external competition. How best to meet this competitive pressure depends on the micro level firm’s ability to absorb excess demand through capacity and value creation. Internal value chain management process of the firm decisively places some limitations on its ability to meet this extra demand. Therefore it’s the pricing policy, HRM and internal management culture that ultimately enable the firm to meet this demand successfully. If the attendant VRIO (value, rarity, inimitability and organization) framework is sound enough to enable the management of the company to withstand pressure and devise

Great Gatsby Essay Example for Free

Great Gatsby Essay In the beginning of Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby, Nick doesn’t care too much for Gatsby, but later Nick begins to like Gatsby, and by the end, Nick and Gatsby become best friends. It is sort of weird how their relationship develops, and the reason it develops. Nick and Gatsby seem to be two totally different people, but I guess opposites attract. In the beginning of Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby, Nick doesn’t care too much for Gatsby. Nick thinks that Gatsby is kind of odd, and mysterious. For example, on page 20, Nick says â€Å"he gave a sudden intimation that he was content to be alone†. That is kind of weird because if he wanted to be alone, why does he throw huge parties. Also Gatsby was just standing there with his arm extended looking at a light, if that isn’t weird than what is. This one encounter does not drive Nick away from getting to know Gatsby. Later in Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby, Nick begins to like Gatsby. Later on when Nick meets Gatsby at a party he describes his smile. The way Nick described it was not normal he said â€Å"It was one of those rare smiles with a quality of eternal reassurance in it, that you may come across four or five times in life. †(48) You don’t describe a smile that way unless you like that person, he could have just said he had a nice smile. After that Gatsby and Nick talked a lot more and hung out a lot more after that party, I guess you could say this was the beginning of a beautiful friendship. By the end of Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby, Nick and Gatsby became best friends. Towards the end Nick and Gatsby were always together. They went to lunch together, rode in Gatsby’s hydroplane together, and went to the city together. Nick liked Gatsby so much he said â€Å"They’re a rotten crowd,† I shouted across the lawn. â€Å"You’re worth the whole damn bunch put together. †(154) Nick also tells Gatsby’s father that â€Å"We were close friends. † (168) after Gatsby had died. At Gatsby’s funeral no one was their but Nick this showed that Gatsby had no other friends except for Nick. Even though Nick doesn’t seem to like Gatsby at the beginning the two of them end up as best friends. Even after Gatsby lies to Nick and then confesses the truth Nick was still friends with Gatsby.

Adolescent Sexual Development

Adolescent Sexual Development Kari Svendsen Abstract: This paper touches on the importance of providing public awareness and education to our educators, parents, and students so that we reduce the number of girls that have onset puberty. It also provides information on how we can teach parents to be supportive during adolescents, which can be a difficult and confusing time for students, which is more important than ever. With the improvement of sexual education programs taught in our school systems, parents and teachers can adequately prepare students for the negative effects of sexual activity before it is too late. The numbers of adolescents engaging in sexual activity, STIs and teen pregnancies can be reduced. Adolescent Sexual Development Sexual maturation and growth spurts both accompany puberty and can be a difficult and confusing time for adolescents, especially with children hitting puberty at an earlier age than ever. It is essential that adolescents have the support of their teachers, parents, and physicians at this transitional time in their lives. Even though sexual education is taught in our school systems, these students are inadequately prepared and a staggering number of students are exposed to sexually transmitted infections and teen pregnancy; not to mention the emotional distress that adolescents will endure. It takes years for the average adolescents’ body to go through the process of sexual maturation. The onset of puberty is not triggered by any particular event, but rather a multitude of things such as stress, genetics, nutrition and diet as well as the amount of body fat to name a few (Gentry, p. 1, 2002). There is also a growth spurt that is brought on by puberty when the skeletal system grows rapidly. This can occur in girls starting at age 10 and boy at age 10.5; this growth spurt usually ends around 19 for girls and 20 for boys (Headlee, p. 7, 2010). Hands legs and feet are first and then the growth spurt will hit the torso; in girls, the sexual hormone will attribute to broader hips. These growths spurts can be an awkward time for adolescent children as their bodies are evening out. Some researchers say there is no external cause for early onset puberty, while others say different. Some researchers have linked obesity as a contributing factor (Parent, p. 670, 2003). The inactivity and poor diet of our youth is putting them at risk for a higher percentage of body fat which leads to premature puberty. Environmental chemical have also been linked to an onset of puberty. Chemicals are added to almost all commercial cleaning products to include: shampoo, teething toys, bottles. Chemicals can also be in the food that adolescents eat. Another onset of puberty can be linked to the absence of a girl’s father; researchers have shown that the longer the girls has been away from her father the earlier she will start her first menstrual cycle (Parent, p. 671, 2003). Research findings show that girls who are ill-prepared for the physical and emotional changes brought on by puberty will have the most difficult time (Gentry, p. 1, 2002). This means that providing adolescents a stable and encouraging environment with family, teachers, and physicians is crucial. Beth Ross, Director of student services at Rockdale County School, expresses her concern of parent and teacher involvement after uncovering a syphilis outbreak in her school system. Rockdale County is a small, close-knit community, made up of wealthy families in a desirable part of Atlanta. Here, at least 19 females and 4 males were part of the syphilis outbreak (Ross, 1999). Through interviews and investigations it was learned that at the center of the outbreak were a group of young girls that were no older than 16 (Ross, 1999). The sexual activity would sometimes be accompanied with the use of drugs and alcohol, and the sexual interactions were with slightly older boys. These interactions would take place at one of the girl’s home when her parents were not in the house. These girls not only had sex with each other but also with all of the other boys in an open and communal environment. Beth Ross has been a counselor for over 16 years and says that the needs of children into today’s world are the same as 16 years ago when she started; they have not changed (Ross, 1999). These children have the same needs, the only thing that has changed is that both sets of parents are now working and have become too â€Å"busy† (Ross, 1999). She also points out that the young girls, who are at such shockingly young ages, that are sexually active and it stems from being asked as well as needing to feel loved and wanted. This comes from something lacking in the childhood for them to desire to become sexually active at such a young age. She mentions that these students are lacking limits and structure in their lives, lack of parents being there for them to say this is how far you go and what is acceptable. Sixteen years ago parents were more adamant about what children were and were not allowed to do so there was no question in their mind what their limits were. Some par ents say that they did not like the way they were raised and that they would never treat their child the way they were treated, but this is when the structure they hated as a child goes out of the window and where rebellion begins. Rules and structure are crucial to children. After the follow-up interview was conducted at Rockdale County, some 6-12 months later, a few of the girls were still sexually active and also still used drugs. There were just a few of the girls that said they were no longer sexually active due to the stricter rules and supervision enforced by their parents. The girls interviewed all seemed to agree that there was still a lack of communication with their parents and that no real action had been taken since the outbreak occurred. By the end of the follow-up interviews and investigation 8 of the over 20 girls were pregnant (Ross, 1999). An extensive study has been conducted by Selma N. Caal, in 2008, on high-risk sexual behavior. Caal reported that youth with highly cohesive families and low peer norms reported low risk sexual behavior; however, youth with highly cohesive families and high peer norms reported high risk sex (Caal, 2008). Youth coming from low cohesive families did not base their sexuality on their peers. If youth perceived that the peers were okay with and engaging in sexual behavior then they were more likely to be sexually active themselves (Caal, 2008). During adolescence teens try to separate from their parents and become closer to their peers, so parental communication regarding sexual behavior is crucial to the youth’s sexual activity. The more time that parents spend away from their children, the more room for risky behavior. In a time when dual parents are working full-time jobs is it harder than ever to stay in communication and enforce rules. Age also plays a factor with risky sexual behavior; as older youth were more likely for this behavior, possibly because of their sexual maturity level (Caal, 2008). Also media plays a very strong role in adolescent sexual behavior as they are exposed to it constantly, and can send messages that high-risk sexual behavior is welcomed and accepted. The age of youth engaging in sexual activity drops each year and is a great concern which proves that our youth should be better educated and monitored not only at home but also in the school system. The numbers of high-risk sexual behavior adolescents could be significantly reduced by educating our youth and holding them more accountable. Advocate for Youth reports the effectiveness of sexual education in schools has contributed to lower numbers in teen pregnancy, lower numbers of youth engaging in unprotected sex, and also delayed initiation of sexual behavior altogether (McKeon, 2006). Sexual education seems to be failing as a whole, as there are 1 million people a day who acquire a sexually transmitted infection (STI) (WHO, 2013). We are failing our youth and our world at a rate of 30 million people a month, 360 million people a year (WHO, 2013). Our adolescents account for nearly half of these numbers. STI’s are causing major infertility problems and in some cases even death. They are also costing billions of dollars annually. Unprotected sex and teen birth is still a problem; however, we are moving in the right direction as a 9 percent drop was recorded from 2009-2010 (Hamilton Ventura, 2012). This puts us at a record low rate of 34.3 births per 1000 girls between the ages of 15-19 (Hamilton Ventura, 2012). Although numbers are lowering, this is a still a major concern for both mother and child as they are rarely able to financially support themselves and cost the public 10.9 billion dollars annually (Hamilton Ventura, 2012). These staggering numbers can change if we start providing The Development Assets, created by the Search Institute, to our youth; this is a guarantee. These assets are 40 research-based encouraging qualities that affect adolescent development. By providing them to our youth, we are helping them to become caring, responsible, and productive adults. These assets have be proven to work and are quickly becoming the most positive youth development in the United States and globally. All across the world and now in other countries it is apparent the positive affect that the assets have been for all cultural and socioeconomic groups (Institute, 2007). Also, high-risk behavior is better predicted by the level of Developmental Assets one has, than their family, resources, or location. However, like with Rockdale County, most of our adolescents will have less than 40 Assets (Institute, 2007). The Developmental Assets include things such as family support, positive family communication, and service to others as well as integrity, honesty, and restraint to name a few. These assets are a stepping stone and a guideline for parents. They can especially be used in a â€Å"busy† lifestyle with both parents working full-time jobs. This checklist allows no excuses for parents who are at a loss and do not know what to do with their child. It also teaches parents and teachers how to hold the children responsible and how to discipline the children instead of allowing their actions to continue. These assets can be appropriately used from the time they are 3 years old through adolescence, and would help in never seeing situation like Rockdale County arise. The more Developmental Assets that a person is exposed to the more likely they are to thrive and be successful. Researchers show that parents can set their children up for a bright future and almost guarantee that they will not be involved in high-risk behavior such as drug and alcohol use, sexual activity and drug use, by providing more assets to their child (Institute, 2007). When our adolescents have more assets they are more diverse, have better opportunities and less likely to become involved in high-risk behaviors. There are also a few Developmental Assets that can possibly help our children to prolong their puberty. One external asset of empowerment is safety, which can be considered as the normal external world but also internal. Parents are responsible for what their children use as far as cleaning products and the food they eat, which both contain chemicals and can increase onset puberty. It is the parent’s responsibility to provide safe and desirable products and food for their children. This also leads to obesity, as it can promote onset maturation. Another external asset is constructive use of time; this means that children should participate in weekly sports club or organization within the school or community. By keeping our children active there will be less room for obesity. Another contribution to onset maturation was the absentee father, which is also covered in the assets in the support section; it states that family should provide children with a constant loving and supporting relationship. Some reasons for an absent father cannot always be avoided; however, providing the child’s father that just chooses to be absent may be swayed if he were introduced to the determent it would cause his daughter. Again, following the Developmental Assets will not only allow us to prolong puberty in girls but also allow us to provide a promising future for our children. Before researching and learning more about sexual behavior in our youth I would have said that if there were sexual education classes in our schools that they shou ld be kept to a minimum and not go into much detail on the topic, this is because of how I grew up. As a family and a school we were not open about our sexuality at all, nor did we have sexual education in our school system. And I personally, did not engage in high-risk sexual behavior nor did I know it was a concern. This could be contributed to my own Developmental Assets that my parents provided me with as there were very few, if any, that I was not given. My views have changed drastically on the need for better and more thorough sexual education programs in our schools after seeing the drastic change in numbers of teen pregnancy and STIs. We have to prevent the age of youth engaging in sexual activity dropping each year; it is a great concern and our responsibility to educate them in schools. We should provide the parents and teachers education classes addressing these issues as they may not have been educated themselves. Schools should make information more available to parents and maybe they will see the importance of this issue. Brochures that address concerns and causes for onset puberty would be beneficial to parents, and also providing information to parents at PTO meetings, and other meetings when they already have the parent’s attention. Our schools are concerned with meetings about budgets and addressing lunch programs and ignoring important issues such as sexual development. It is one thing to teach our students, but we must also teach their parents. Advocate for Youth reports the effectiveness of sexual education in schools has contributed to lower numbers in teen pregnancy, lower numbers of youth engaging in unprotected sex, and also delayed initiation of sexual behavior altogether (McKeon, 2006). I think this proves that sexual education in our schools without a doubt needed. Schools can provide sexual development information at correct ages instead of local news and radio stations trying to stop the spread of sexual activity and STIs. I know now just riding in the car with my daughter in the middle of the day listening to the radio with my daughter, there are condom commercials. She is 7 years old and should not be exposed to that for many years to come. I think the internet and television are far worse and if we are not around to monitor our children from a young age then they will be more likely to partake in these kinds of activities. School is the place to educate our children where they can ask questions and learn from adults, not just assuming on their own and among their peers. We can also offer students counseling and behavioral interventions, hopefully before, but especially after children like Rockdale County, as this would provide both parents and students to find out the underlying cause for wanting to engage in sexual activity. If counseling and treatment were more readily available student would not continue to engage in inappropriate behavior and quite possibly be prevented from becoming teen parents as we also saw with the Rockdale county students. These counseling sessions and treatments can be a more intense version of the sexual education classes in our schools that can provide students who are already sexually active and those who want to become sexually active. They can provide both pre as well as post STI test counseling so that teens can recognize symptoms of these infections, be encouraged to let their partner know, and not go untreated. Also, counseling and intervention should use condom promotion to influence students to practice safe sex and lower the risk of teen pregnancy. By providing public awareness and education to our educators, parents, and students we reduce the number of girls that have onset puberty. Parents being taught to be supportive during adolescents, which can be a difficult and confusing time for students, is more important than ever. With the improvement of sexual education programs taught in our school systems, parents and teachers can adequately prepare students for the negative effects of sexual activity before it is too late. The numbers of adolescents engaging in sexual activity, STIs and teen pregnancies can be reduced. References: Caal, Selma M. (2008) Adolescent Sexual Development: Contextualizing a Cognitive Process in the Decision to Engage in Protective or Risky Sexual Behavior. George Mason University.UMI. Web. 14 Dec. 2013. http://denhamlab.gmu.edu/Theses and Dissertations PDFs/Caal2008.pdf>. CDC. (2011). Effective HIV and STD Prevention Programs for Youth.Sexual Behaviors.http://www.cdc.gov/healthyyouth/sexualbehaviors/effective_programs.htm Gentry, J. (2002). Developing Assests. Washington: American Physcological Assosication. Hamilton, B., Ventura, S. (2012). NCHS Data Brief. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Retrieved December 18, 2013, from http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/databriefs/db89.htm Headlee, K. (2010). Growth and Development, Ages 13 to 17à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬ What You Need to Know. Developing Adolescents, 1, 7. Retrieved December 16, 2013, from http://lee.ifas.ufl.edu/FCS/FCSPubs/Fact_Sheets/Growth_and_Development_13-17.pdf McKeon, B. (2006). Effective Sex Education. Advocates for Youth. Retrieved December 19, 2013, from http://www.advocatesforyouth.org/publications450 Parent, A. (2003). The Timing Of Normal Puberty And The Age Limits Of Sexual Precocity: Variations Around The World, Secular Trends, And Changes After Migration. Endocrine Reviews, 24(5), 668-671. Parke, R. D. Gauvain, M. (2009).Child psychology: A contemporary viewpoint(7th ed.). Boston: McGraw-Hill. Ross, B. (1999). The Lost Children of Rockdale County. PBS. Retrieved December 21, 2013, from http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/georgia/interviews/beth.html Institute. (2007). 40 Developmental Assets. Search Institute. Retrieved December 12, 2013, from http://www.search-institute.org/what-we-study/developmental-assets Sexually transmitted infections (STIs). (2013). WHO. Retrieved December 20, 2013, from http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs110/en/

The New Frontier Essay -- null

John Fitzgerald Kennedy was one of the most famous and influential presidents in the history of the United States. During his presidency, he attempted to make several reforms, supported by his â€Å"New Frontier† legislature. The goals of the New Frontier were to improve school funding, civil rights, and foreign policy. The New Frontier was to make the American population feel as if no frontier was impossible to achieve, including the controversial final frontier of space. Despite the fact that many of his acts and bills were not passed or supported by Congress, the New Frontier was what led to many of the greatest advancements which helped shape America today. The date was January 20, 1961 when Kennedy first mentioned the New Frontier (Nelson 622). He used it as part of his presidential acceptance speech, along with his natural charisma, to pull in support for his highly progressive approach. The term â€Å"New Frontier† itself was something Kennedy created on his own, a term he believed represented the generation of those willing to make change in their country (O’Donnell 224). The New Frontier, an expansion of the New Deal, urged Americans not to ask how can their country contribute more, but rather how they can contribute to the country. The New Frontier did not promise Americans happier lives instantly, it promised gradual change which could only happen if the people of the United States were willing to accept it. (O’Donnell 224). Though there were many who would not accept it, this included a majority of congress, which was very often split on decisions, but this was mostly due to partisanship, a tendency to agre e with one’s political party at all times (Sorenson 342). A major change that came with the New Frontier was the P... ...8). Kennedy would find it difficult to appeal to both the American public and Congress, a problem that would persist throughout his entire presidency. Despite the numerous flaws in Kennedy’s presidency, it can very easily be looked at as a major success. Kennedy remained confident throughout his entire term believing that change can still occur. Though sadly, it would not be until his assassination in 1963, that people would finally begin to understand what his goals were. People no longer felt ashamed of his failures but felt gratitude for his successes, through the advancements in space technology to the civil rights acts, as well as the Peace Corps. He left behind a legacy that could not be forgotten, and an influence that continues to affect people today. Kennedy and his New Frontier changed more than just a nation, he changed the way people today think.

Carribbean Mist :: essays research papers

Caribbean Mist Web Project Recommendation Report Overview This report provides Caribbean Mist Inc. Tanning Spa, with a well detailed recommendation for a web site that would cater to the company’s needs. In order to create a good web site and write a good report we need to have a general understanding of your needs. From our extensive research we can see that the main goal for the company’s web site is to attract more customers and provide customers with more information regarding your services. Both goals are addressed in the recommendations for the web site so that it will achieve its full potential. In this report we will analyze and contextualize our team’s field research so that we can give recommendations for a web site that meets the standards of Caribbean Mist. After looking over what we had gathered from our research we began to see what Caribbean Mist is looking for in this web site and what restrictions and standards you are forced to comply with. The report provides recommendations for advertising for the web site, web site design, where to host the web site, and the context on the web site. Each recommendation is well stated and provides descriptive steps or actions, supported by research, that the company must perform in order to fulfill the recommendation. Along with the description, we will provide a rationale on why the option we chose will best suit your needs. Lastly, each recommendation presents Caribbean Mist with a step by step procedure of what needs to be done and how long it will take. To assist Caribbean Mist with our recommendations, we have also i ncluded a cost analysis of each recommendation that is given so that you will know exactly how much each step will cost and how much money will be needed to get the project started. Analysis Our team executed a number of things to produce our recommendations. We did field research, an interview, and market research. Our field research consisted of an in-depth observation of Caribbean Mist while they were open for business. This gave us a better idea of what types of customers come into Caribbean Mist and how often. We also conducted an interview with the manager to get a better idea of what Caribbean Mist wants in a web site. We conducted market research by examining other tanning company web sites to see what is popular in the industry.

Character Development in the Kite Runner Essay

The central character of the story as well as its narrator, Amir has a privileged upbringing. His father, Baba, is rich by Afghan standards, and as a result, Amir grows up accustomed to having what he wants. The only thing he feels deprived of is a deep emotional connection with Baba, which he blames on himself. He thinks Baba wishes Amir were more like him, and that Baba holds him responsible for killing his mother, who died during his birth. Amir, consequently, behaves jealously toward anyone receiving Baba’s affection. His relationship with Hassan only exacerbates this. Though Hassan is Amir’s best friend, Amir feels that Hassan, a Hazara servant, is beneath him. When Hassan receives Baba’s attention, Amir tries to assert himself by passive-aggressively attacking Hassan. He mocks Hassan’s ignorance, for instance, or plays tricks on him. At the same time, Amir never learns to assert himself against anyone else because Hassan always defends him. All of these factors play into his cowardice in sacrificing Hassan, his only competition for Baba’s love, in order to get the blue kite, which he thinks will bring him Baba’s approval. The change in Amir’s character we see in the novel centers on his growth from a selfish child to a selfless adult. After allowing Hassan to be raped, Amir is not any happier. On the contrary, his guilt is relentless, and he recognizes his selfishness cost him his happiness rather than increasing it. Once Amir has married and established a career, only two things prevent his complete happiness: his guilt and his inability to have a child with Soraya. Sohrab, who acts as a substitute for Hassan to Amir, actually becomes a solution to both problems. Amir describes Sohrab as looking like a sacrificial lamb during his confrontation with Assef, but it is actually himself that Amir courageously sacrifices. In doing this, as Hassan once did for him, Amir redeems himself, which is why he feels relief even as Assef beats him. Amir also comes to see Sohrab as a substitute for the child he and Soraya cannot have, and as a self-sacrificing father figure to Sohrab, Amir assumes the roles of Baba and Hassan. Plot Amir tells us about the unique relationship he has with Hassan, a Hazara boy who is the victim of discrimination, but ironically is the half-brother of Amir, a Pashtun. Amir is overwhelmed with guilt when he allows Hassan to be beaten and raped on the day Amir wins the kite flying tournament. He lies to have Hassan accused of theft so he will leave their home and Amir can try to forget his guilt. Eventually, Amir and his father flee Afghanistan after the Russians invade and Amir takes his tragic memories to America to start a new life. Unfortunately, his debt to Hassan must be paid and he returns to his country to find Hassan’s orphaned son and rescue him. There, he discovers that Sohrab has become the sexual plaything of Assef, the bully who had tormented both Amir and Hassan when they were young. Ultimately, Amir must defeat Assef in a raging physical battle, take the damaged Sohrab out of Afghanistan and try to help him repair his spirit. Conflict Amir is the protagonist, because it is his story – a story that details his childhood in Afghanistan and the terrible sin he commits against Hassan, a Hazara boy who also happens to be his half-brother. It also details how he eventually returns to his homeland to atone for that sin by finding Hassan’s son, Sohrab, and bringing him home. The antagonist is, on the surface, the man named Assef, who is a bigoted childhood acquaintance of Amir and Hassan. He torments them both, but actually attacks and rapes Hassan. Later, when the Taliban gains control of Afghanistan, he becomes one of them so he can continue to torture others he finds inferior to himself. He also takes Sohrab as his sexual plaything and Amir must defeat Assef to bring Sohrab home and to the family he deserves. the other antagonist is Amir’s sin which he must expiate before he can find redemption. Setting. * (Time) Â · 1975 through 2001 * (Place) Â · Kabul, Afghanistan; California, United States Mood The narrator speaks in the first person, primarily describing events that occurred months and years ago. The narrator describes these events subjectively, explaining only how he experienced them. At one point, another character briefly narrates a chapter from his own point of view. At times, the mood of The Kite Runner is tragic, filled with despair, and very sad; at other times, it is uplifting and hopeful. Finally, it is a triumphant commentary on the human spirit. Development of Central Theme: The search for redemption; the love and tension between fathers and sons; the intersection of political events and private lives; the persistence of the past. The Search for Redemption Amir’s quest to redeem himself makes up the heart of the novel. Early on, Amir strives to redeem himself in Baba’s eyes, primarily because his mother died giving birth to him, and he feels responsible. To redeem himself to Baba, Amir thinks he must win the kite-tournament and bring Baba the losing kite, both of which are inciting incidents that set the rest of the novel in motion. The more substantial part of Amir’s search for redemption, however, stems from his guilt regarding Hassan. That guilt drives the climactic events of the story, including Amir’s journey to Kabul to find Sohrab and his confrontation with Assef. The moral standard Amir must meet to earn his redemption is set early in the book, when Baba says that a boy who doesn’t stand up for himself becomes a man who can’t stand up to anything. As a boy, Amir fails to stand up for himself. As an adult, he can only redeem himself by proving he has the courage to stand up for what is right.

Buying a House in Today’s Economy Essay

The economy can make or break many decisions and on buying a house is a major one to make sure that the economy is in a good state that buying a house is not the right decision. When it comes to the marginal benefit the economy should be at an increase because purchasing the house is not anything that needs to be done but it is something that one wants to do and if the economy is bad then there is not any money available to make the extra purchase of buying a home at that time. Marginal ost in purchasing a house can affect economy by the simple fact of saving money here and there on some things in order to make sure that that they have money available to buy the house. The selling of the products they might have bought will decrease the economies profits. The removal of tax deduction on the mortgage interest affects the housing market because it will cause people to not be buying houses because some see the tax as a cushion for them to be able to get a house that they may not have had a chance to et based on their income. If they do not have a feeling of safety in purchasing a home they will not take the chance. The ways that government spends money on other things and the taxes make a decision a bit harder because a person Just wants to make sure that buying the house will not result in not having any money to do anything else. If the government ends up spending money on things not needed then there will not be enough money in banks and other finance resources that can help a person purchase a home.

A Man In The Middle Attack Computer Science Essay

A Man In The Middle Attack Computer Science Essay Today computer networks are used to transmit large amounts of data which may or may not contain sensitive information. Within this document I will be discussing ways in which your networks may become venerable to attacks. Man in the middle attacks, spanning tree attacks, security issues related to trunking, and security issues relating to identity spoofing. What is a Man in the middle attack? Man in the middle attack is a name given to a type of attack where the person intercepts communication being sent across a data network. This type of attack is also known as a Bucket-brigade attack, Fire brigade attack, Monkey-in-the-middle attack, Session hijacking, TCP hijacking, TCP session hijacking etc. Man in the middle attack is an attack that is usually performed on a internal network. Man in the middle attacks are where hackers introduce a rouge device onto the network then intercept communication between two network devices. This is done by sending out a series of ARP requests and ARP responses to two devices making them think that they are talking to each other. An example of a man in the middle attack would consist of two hosts, host one and host two. The hacker would connect a rouge device, host three, most likely on the same switch that both host one and two are connected to. Once that he is able to communicate on the network he would then send out ARP requests and responses to both host one and two making them believe that he is the other host. This will make host one and two re-route there connection through host three. once host one and host two are communicating between each other via the new connection established by host three, the hacker will now be able to capture packets sent between them. Once an attacker has performed a man in the middle attack, they can use this in a number of ways for example Public Key Exchanging, Command Injection, Malicious Code Injection, Downgrade Attacks etc. There are many tools available that network managers will use in order to monitor their networks. These tools can also be used from a hackers point of view as they allow the hacker to capture packets that are being sent across the network. This essentially allows the hacker to see what you are doing. The following tools are commonly used for capturing and analysing network traffic by an attacker WiresharkÂÂ ® is a network protocol analyzer. It lets you capture and interactively browse the traffic running on a computer network. It has a rich and powerful feature set and is world’s most popular tool of its kind. It runs on most computing platforms including Windows, OS X, Linux, and UNIX. Network professionals, security experts, developers, and educators around the world use it regularly. It is freely available as open source, and is released under the GNU General Public License version 2. http://wireshark.com Ettercap is a comprehensive suite for man in the middle attacks. It features sniffing of live connections, content filtering on the fly and many other interesting tricks. It supports active and passive dissection of many protocols and includes many features for network and host analysis.